"A Taste of 'The Good Life' & the Blessings of God"

Part 2 of 3 to catch everyone up on life as a Crank. This middle chapter to the saga will detail how very attached to all things British I have become.

I thought life would calm down, I would move back in with my parents and I would be one of the countless college graduates with student loans and no job to pay for them. Then I turned on my cell phone after months of it being turned off in Memphis (dumb phones do not work overseas, shocking). I have a voicemail from some guy who I didn't know. He was calling to talk with me more about a job opening in Bowling Green, KY and weekend weather. I was floored, but I was worn out. It was about 10pm so I told myself I would call him tomorrow. The next morning, I'm getting ready for the day, and attempting to come up with a list of questions to ask when I call the Kentuckian back. Before I'm done getting ready, my phone starts ringing. It's home skillet from Bowling Green. We chatted for a bit about the job, some details with it. He then offers me the job, on the phone, within 24 hours of my returning to the U.S. of A. I'm still tongued-tied and trying to re-adjust to the American Southern accent. Thankfully, I have the coherence to ask if I could talk to the chief meteorologist before making a decision.

I'll skip over the rest of those details due to legal issues and they're boring. Needless to say, what I thought was going to be a difficult time of twiddling my thumbs, God had much bigger plans in mind. He wasn't done knocking my socks off, and I am beginning to learn that He never will stop. He loves me, in spite of my darkest sins, my inability to share the Gospel, and my constant anxiety, He loves me, cares about me, and wants to blow my mind each and every day. I believe this is almost a humorous antagonisation of my anxiety.

 By Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, I'd moved into a hotel in Bowling Green, KY. I enjoyed working in TV, experiencing my first show, forecasting and what I said actually mattering. I saw snow, predicted it, advised people in how to prepare for it. The experiences and opportunities afforded me by God to work in TV have been incredible. I'm so very thankful for this job.

The first week I was there, I had looked up churches in Bowling Green, and there were plenty. I didn't know where to start, so I went to the BSU at Western Kentucky University (they're all progressive and call it BCM, whatever). There, I met the director who introduced me to one of the interns who worked there, Joel. Joel immediately offered to get lunch with me, and though we didn't get lunch, we still talked awhile about what I'd been doing in the UK, and where he went to church (Christ Fellowship) and why. He also gave my number to a friend of his, Chase, who also went to Christ Fellowship with Joel.

The next day I met Chase for lunch and at that point, I could not not visit Christ Fellowship, I'd had two invites to come Sunday (0 for any other church), I'd been told how they were located in a similar area to the Earlesfield, and their desire was to reach the people of that community with the Gospel. Joel had given me the website, and so I creeped hard on the church, about what they believed, etc. I couldn't find a single reason not to go. Then I went.

Before the pastor's 50 minute sermon was over, I was sold. Then we took communion, icing on the cake. I was a little overwhelmed by the church, the genuineness of the people, the worship, and the commitment to the Gospel. After the service, I met Eric, who invited me to coffee, and later that week, to the small group Bible study at his house. God couldn't have made it plainer as to where He wanted me in Bowling Green. From Joel to Chase to Eric, to everyone else I met at church that Sunday, God had this in mind long before I went to England.

What really confirmed this to me was at the small group. We spent our time that week sharing our testimonies, rather than discussing the sermon (Ooops). That's when I was informed of the connection between Harlaxton College (in Denton/Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK) and WKU. I met people that night (and I've met more since) who went to study abroad there. I heard and saw people from all kinds of background sharing how they came to know Christ and how beautiful that night was.

I can say that these past 5 months since moving to Bowling Green have been absolutely some of the hardest, most frustrating, sanctifying, and fulfilling months. I consider this church, my church. The people, the community... my people and my community. The opportunities I've had to serve here in Bowling Green have been amazing. I'm blessed and thankful to be here now.

I've made many new friends, close friends, and am amazed that they actually are friends with this awkward, nerdy, non-Hill Topping dude who is overly obsessed with Britain (to the point that I listen to The British History Podcast, you should also, it's great).

By April of this year, due to a variety of things at work, I became the chief meteorologist at the station. My working hours shifted from weekend nights, to weekday evenings. This job has afforded me many opportunities, stories about WKU, Hot Rods Baseball, schools talks, Humane Society visits, celebrity cookie eating contests, career fairs, tickets to baseball, running in different events (KY Foam Run & the Color Vibe 5k Run), and even throwing out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game.

The people I've met and gotten to know here are the reason that the third part of this trilogy of the first part of 2014 will be a bittersweet chapter. Please read the next segment, "The Return to Academia" with the knowledge that many long, tearful nights of crying out for wisdom from God and seeking advice from godly men and women in my life have led to the conclusion of the trilogy.